Riders have options at tailback with injury to LaFrance

SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan Roughriders are still considering their options at tailback.

The CFL team had given considerable thought to starting Kienan LaFrance after signing the free-agent national during the off-season, but he suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp.

“What we did was not necessarily go national, but it gave us the option if we wanted to go national,’’ Riders head coach and general manager Chris Jones said Tuesday. “We had two good American running backs and we felt that either way we decided to go, our players were good enough to win.’’

The Riders are being cautious with LaFrance because of the injury.

“If he’s not ready to go Week 1, then we will go with an American at running back,’’ Jones said.

Veterans Anthony Allen and Cameron Marshall are the front-runners among the internationals vying to be starters. National Greg Morris is also in the mix with LaFrance on the sideline.

Allen, Marshall and Morris are expected to see action when the Riders play the host B.C. Lions on Friday in the final pre-season game for both teams.

The tailbacks are supportive of each other regardless of the competition for the position.

“We’re still going to be in each other’s corner and we’re going to be each other’s biggest fan,’’ said Allen, who re-signed with the Riders on June 2 after spending the 2016 season with the Lions. “When we get the ball in our hands, we’re going to try and make something happen and be the guy who gets the call.’’

Allen and Marshall got the call in Saturday’s 25-25 pre-season tie with the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Marshall had four carries for a game-high 31 yards and Allen had a team-high six carries for 25 yards.

“Friday’s game is really important because there is only so much you can do in practice when you have to keep your teammates healthy,’’ Marshall said. “When you go live, that’s when it matters the most and you have to put some good tape out there.’’

Morris wants to make an impression after being limited to one reception for eight yards on Saturday.

“I feel like Chris is going to put in the best person for the situation and we’re all competing for the job,’’ said Morris, who is in his second season with the Riders. “It’s going to be fun.’’

Being the tailback may be more fun in 2017 because Jones wants to emphasize the ground game after finishing eighth in the league last year in rushing yards (1,335) and carries (262).

“When we hand the football off, we need to be at least in second-and-six or second-and-five (after the carry),’’ Jones said. “That’s what we did in Edmonton (in 2014 and 2015) and we had great success when we put (quarterback) Mike Reilly in second-and-five situations.’’

Allen couldn’t help smiling at the prospect of the Riders running the ball more.

“It means that he wants to play smash-mouth football and that’s my brand of football,” he said.

Allen began his CFL career with the Riders in 2014, when he rushed for 930 yards while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry in 2015, when he rushed for 574 yards.

“We want to be in second-and-four,’’ said Allen, who boasts a career average of 5.6 yards per carry. “We’re trying to average six yards per carry and that’s our goal. Whatever the coach wants to do or whatever he’s calling, we know that we’re going to go out there and run the play. We’re hoping that they will be running plays.’’

Running the ball effectively is a key part of a tailback’s responsibilities. Aptitude for blocking assignments will also play a role in determining the starting tailback.

“This is the CFL and the CFL is a passing league,’’ Allen said. “If you can’t pass-protect or protect the quarterback, then you aren’t any good to the offence. Making sure that you can protect the quarterback is what we work on the most. What I hope to show the coaches is that I’m 100 per cent in when it comes to pass protection.’’

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